Not sure which section this goes in since it's a question about a Dehumifier in a Basement Plumbed to a Toilet tank, so I took my best guess.

I never heard of plumbing a condensate pump to a toilet tank til I started reading this forum. My cottage has 2 dehumidifiers running all the time to keep the basement dry. I've determined that I can't cheap out and shut them off or the basement gets damp quickly. Since moving in these 2 units have drained via hoses through holes in the basement wall and the condensate runs out onto the soil under a balcony. It's not as ugly as it sounds but I still want to get rid of the hoses & holes. There are no drains in the basement.

I'm considering draining both units into a common condensate pump and stapling a long length of poly tubing to the joists to eventually come up behind the upstairs toilet and spill into the tank.

2 questions:
Is this fairly common, or is it even more red-neck than holes in the basement wall?
What about the sound of the water squirting into the toilet tank--is it quiet or will it startle a guest using the facilities?

 

I don't recall reading that here but it's unimportant.

I see no reason why they can't continue to drain outside. Although I can't think of a reason why draining the condensate into the toilet would be harmful it's something I wouldn't personally consider doing.

If your house is on a septic system then one more reason to drain outside.

 

I admit I've not heard of doing this, so I think it's not so common. But more to the point, I don't see any advantage from doing it unless the pump is rigged to only run when the tank needs to be filled. Normally the tank is full until flushed, and then it fills again from the main water supply. If the pump runs when the tank is full, the water will just rise above the overflow and flow into the bowl and eventually, out the drain. Unless the pump happens to run right after the toilet has been flushed, it won't save any water.

I suppose you could turn off the normal water supply to the toilet and depend on the pump, but then you run the risk of not having flush water when you need it.

I'm all for conserving water; just don't see how this would accomplish it without additional effort to install a button to run the pump when the toilet is flushed. Could certainly be done if you want to go down that path.

If you just want somewhere to dump the water besides on the ground, there are other options.

 

I would dump the water into the bowl before I would dump it into the tank. In addition to the reasons Paul gave, that's not always clean water and I wouldn't want to risk gumming up anything in the tank.

 

You would know the likely behavior of your guests better than us.

I do appreciate your not wanting to run the condensate to the ground. The wet ground can attract mosquitoes.

 

If the cottage is not used for long periods I would worry about mineral stains in the toilet from the trickle of water into the bowl. The condensate should be pretty mineral free but it will be mixing with the water that's already in the toilet tank. You could also consider running it into a sink drain using a RO or dishwasher fitting. If the cottage is on a septic system I'd spare the septic the extra water and continue dumping the water outside somewhere.

 

Paul, et al:
This has nothing to do with conservation. The basement has no drains so the condensate needs to go *somewhere*.
The previous owners just drilled big holes in the wall & ran long garden hose lines out and coiled them up under the balcony. I don't know why they were several feet long except possibly to make it near impossible for bugs to find their way up all that distance and into the dehumidifier tanks (and then into the house). I don't like the sight of the coiled hose so I cut them short. More like a "spout" now but I run more risk of bugs getting inside, but less risk of the hose getting plugged with mold growth, dirt, bug bodies, etc and the water backing up and overflowing the tanks.

SO...I thought a condensate pump feeding a small tube either directly out the wall or into the toilet tank was a far better option. The tank's appeal is when the cottage is vacant for several weeks the water in the bowl evaporates and leaves an ugly stain. Long enough and it might empty the trap & let the septic stink in. The dehumidifier water could keep that tank full & the overflow would keep the bowl full.

I don't know if that advantage is worth the effort of running the tubing all the way to the upstairs bathroom rather than a straight shot out the basement wall.

 

What was done is not so uncommon. What you want to do is wacky. Excuse the bluntness. You could run the hose line under ground and into a deep pit with crushed stone. And I doubt bugs will get intro the hose and then into the house.

 

Other "wacky" people you can be "blunt" to:


*http://www.doityourself.com/forum/pl...-24-7-a.html#b

*Humidifier review:

*Condensation line keeps freezing


*Condensate pump drain | Terry Love Plumbing & Remodel DIY & Professional Forum


Is it really such a stupid idea to pump the water to an existing clean, indoors drain?

 

Code-wise, you're not supposed to drain condensate water into the plumbing system. Technically, it's not condensate water... and most areas, no one will really care... but it's good to know anyway.

Like others, I would rather connect the pump hose into a dishwasher trap or a standpipe. It would be hidden and part of the plumbing system. While I don't see any real issue with running it into a toilet, I would personally think it looks funny with the pipe running up the wall and into the toilet. But again, I don't see any real issue with any of your solutions.